


Ice and Fire

by SecretFangirl98



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alvarez Teikoku Hen | Alvarez Empire Arc (Fairy Tail), Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode 317, Iced Shell, M/M, Memory Loss, Post-Alvarez Teikoku | Alvarez Empire Arc, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:34:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23363284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretFangirl98/pseuds/SecretFangirl98
Summary: The fight against Zeref isn’t looking good, the price of killing Zeref is too high, too risky, Gray won’t let Natsu die, even if it means breaking his promise of never using Iced Shell.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel & Fairy Tail Guild, Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster
Kudos: 39





	1. A Broken Promise

Gray knew the knew the cost of the spell as he spread his feet apart, ignoring Zeref’s speech about how nothing would stop him.

This wasn’t about killing Zeref, the complete opposite, he was wanted him alive but stopped, unable to hurt his guild ever again, after all, his death meant Natsu’s too, which he wouldn’t allow to happen. 

“Wait. This power… it’s lost magic.”

He didn’t need to look at Zeref to know he was surprised.

“The price to pay is a hefty one.”

_‘That won’t discourage me’_ Gray thought to himself. 

“While the price is heavy it makes the spell hundreds of times more powerful.” Was all the ice mage said as he crossed his arms, the ice now spreading to the black wizard, Gray’s own magic power slipping away slowly.

“The ice will melt eventually.”

“But until then, you’ll be stopped and that’s a win for Fairy Tail.” Gray whispered.

“They’ll forget you, every memory.”

“Which means there will be no reason to mourn. There’s been enough tears shed.”

Gray knew Natsu would be on his way here, he just hoped his spell would be cast by then. 

_‘I tried to kill him. The guild doesn’t need me, but I can do one more thing for them_.’

Gray felt his skin begin to freeze slowly but surely, the first cracks beginning to appear as Zerek too began to freeze. 

He could hear Ur’s voice speaking to him.

‘ _Your life is too precious to throw away_.’ She whispered.

‘ _It’s for a good reason. It’s for him. For Natsu_.’

His thoughts turned to Galuna island, to finding Deliora, and Lyon, almost using Iced Shell, and Natsu making him swear to never use the spell again.

He finally moved his eyes to Zeref as the ice finally froze the Black Wizard in his place, and Gray began to fade as the shell grew. 

“I’m sorry, Natsu.” Was all he managed to whisper as the spell was finally completed. 

Gray was gone and that was left was Zeref encased in a shell made of ice, the Guild Hall wall coated in it too.

-

Natsu’s head snapped up from where he stood, a voice echoing, an apology.   
  


“Are you okay, Natsu?” Happy asked, hovering by his shoulder.

”Yeah, just… thought I heard something.” He said, now, if only he could recognise who the voice belonged to.


	2. Something Missing

Lucy and Natsu finally reached the guildhall, Happy close behind, the two almost slipping on the ice that covered the floor. 

“What the hell happened here?” Natsu asked as he looked around, ice covered every inch of the guildhall and right in the centre was a jagged block of it.

“Natsu... I think someone is in there.” Lucy said, taking careful steps closer so she didn’t slip, resting a hand on the ice, only to pull it back a second later with a hiss, it was colder than she thought possible, like it could freeze her just from a slight touch.

“It’s Zeref.”

Natsu joined her a moment later, looking at the Black Wizard encased in ice, he could feel the magic power radiating from it.

“Iced shell, remember when we met Lyon? It’s the type of ice Deliora was trapped in, this feels different though.” He took a step back, knowing they couldn’t stay there long, there was still Acnologia to deal with.

“We’ll ask Lyon later, we need to leave.” Natsu reaches for Lucy’s arm, pulling her away so they could find the others.

 _‘I’m sorry, Natsu_.’

The voice echoed through his head again, as if the ice itself was talking to him, it seemed impossible but there was no other way he could explain it.

-

The many wizards returned to the guild after the defeat of Acnologia, ready to celebrate, ice forgotten about until they were there once again still with no explanation.

“Well, it is certainly iced shell.” Lyon said after Natsu asked, standing closer to it. “But it’s different to the one Ur used, stronger, I dread to imagine what price was paid for this.”

“The caster... would it be possible for them to somehow speak? Or pass message through telepathy?” Natsu asked, earning him some strange looks.

“I suppose it may be possible, the ice is created from a person after all, their magic, they live on in the ice, if the message was important it may have got through. Why? What did you hear?”

“An apology.” Natsu couldn’t help but reach out to the ice, not even his heat could put a mark in it, but that wasn’t the reason. The ice felt familiar, but the only person he knew capable of casting such a spell was Lyon and he was stood right there.

“We’ll place this where Fairy Heart stood, this will become our secret. Nobody must know that Zeref lives, they will only try to free him.” Makarov said, his guild nodding in agreement and soon the others did too, they could keep this secret.

“It will melt eventually and he will be freel.” Mavis said, stepping out of the crowd, looking up at the man she had loved.

“We’ll have the time to learn how to stop him.” Makarov said.

“I’ll do my research, I should leave anyway, before my curse hurts you all. I’ll return when I have information.”

The wizards reluctantly agreed, knowing there would be no way to stop Mavis.

Natsu was still stood next to the ice, fingers brushing against it. He recognised the magic, he just couldn’t figure out how.

 _‘I’m doing this for Natsu_.’

The voice echoed through his head again, this time with a reason. The ice was for him, whoever had made the ice and sacrificed themselves had done it to protect him.

“Who were you?” He whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of hoping to come with a way to fix Mavis’ curse and bring her into the story! I love her.

**Author's Note:**

> After watching this episode I couldn’t help but imagine what would happen if Gray had managed to go through with his spell. So hopefully you enjoy, please comment and let me know what you think! And what should happen next :)


End file.
